Percy
Principle
#1
-
Avoid a sore thumb
.
Nothing
in the composition should be so strong that the rest of the composition
looks
neglected.
When you have a sore thumb, you do not
notice
the rest of your hand.
Avoid the
SORE THUMB
. I study my
composition to see if anything looks too
important, I change that part to make it less important, OR I find
something
else in the composition and make it more important. However, even scars add interest, emphasis, and expression if they are integrated into the whole.
.

Percy
Principle
#2
-
Keep everything connected.
Connect each part of the composition to something else in the composition.
I think of this as
Theme with Variation.
If I
use a
big red circle, perhaps I need another circle or another red or another
big
thing. I probably should not have another big red circle.
If
I use a black and white cow, I may need another animal or organic
shape,
or I may need another instance of black and white spots, etc., and so
on.

Percy
Principle
#3 -
Include Secrets.
Artwork is more
interesting
and expressive if it has hidden features and ideas that it only reveals
to
diligent observers.
The
popular
arts
, by contrast with
fine art
,
make
everything obvious at first glance.

Percy
Principle
#4
-
Challenge common assumptions.
Strong artwork often makes
the viewer question prior assumptions about the world.
Is my artwork
making
an
ARGUMENT?
What does my artwork have to offer that the viewer may find
incomprehensible, disagreeable, or contentious? By contrast,
popular arts tend to support popular ideas and assumptions
in simple straightforward ways.

Percy
Principle
#5
-
Cherish Mistakes.
Mistakes are
fascinating
gifts, and what we do with them makes all the difference.
It is hard to plan creative work, but when a mistake happens, I am
given
a gift. When I respond to the mistake and make a new thing from
it, I do not have to borrow other artist's ideas to be creative.
It has emerged as my
solution
.
On
the other hand, when the mistake is an obvious failure, it means that I
have
to get to work, do research, experiment, or simply
PRACTICE MORE
. These are all
positive
outcomes.
Percy Principle #1
was about sore thumbs. Mistakes are sometimes like sores that make something less boring and more fun to see. I leave enough scars to keep the story interesting and expressive.
Also see
- Dennett, Daniel C. (1995)
"How
to Make Mistakes."
In: J. Brockman, K. Matson (eds.)
How
Things Are
. New York: William Morrow and Company: 137-144.

Percy
Principle #6 -
Be Accident Prone
.
Accidents in art are tragic or happy - depending on the artist's
disposition
to respond. The benefits of accidents and mistakes are very
similar.
They both present unexpected problems or opportunities. If
one
of my soft clay pieces accidentally falls off a ware board, it presents
itself
to me as an idea for a wall plaque, wall vase, mirror frame, or
something
else not yet imagined. If a large bowl form falls flat
and
becomes a platter, it may not be functional, but it can be transformed
into
relief sculpture. This particular piece of clay can be thrown in
the
rework, but the images presented to me are filed in my mental hard
drive.
A series of wall pieces or platters may emerge from
the
ideas presented by the accident. Creative people prize accidents and mistakes precisely
because accidents move the mind to places it does not voluntarily go.
Creativity
is not simply problem solving. Experts may be good at problem
solving,
but the highly creative also love the art of "problem finding".
Accidents and mistakes are such useful problem finding techniques that
we
need to practice them.
Some lessons can
have
"intentional accidents" as part of the lesson. It is a way to
learn
how to generate problems and ideas.

Percy
Principle
#7
-
Never
borrow
other artist's
ideas.
Steal 'em!
Ideas
are free
for the taking. Ideas are all around us in the vapor of existence.
Images and particular arrangements of words, on the other hand,
are
copyrighted. Inventions are patented. Copyrights and patents are
"intellectual
property", but ideas and concepts belong to everybody. They are in the
public
domain - always have been. If I find a good idea, a truth, I do not
want
to borrow it. I do not want to return it. I want to appropriate it,
test it, and
make
it my own. I own it. Like the thief, I want to steal it so I can
tell it,
paint
it, and fling it in clay and glaze. Ideas are free. The
ability to express a good idea is a valuable artistic ability.
Source:
I was introduced to this Principle by Nick
Lindsay, poet and
son of Vachel Lindsay, poet. In 1972, as he was helping me build
our
house, I asked Nick if he felt like borrowing another poet's
ideas. He said,
"Never borrow 'em. STEAL 'EM.
Make 'em your own.
Don't plan to give 'em back."

Percy
Principle
#8
-
Make it
memorable
.
Strong and authentic artwork
is hard to forget.
Does it imprint on the viewers' brains? When they see it again, do they know they have seen it? Does it still make an impression? Does something make it unique? Does it have a fragment of truth not seen in other work? Is it primal? Does it spark a response? It is like an earworm--a song that gets stuck in their brains?

This list of principles is a "work in progress". I make no claim
of
originality here but neither are they copied or simply borrowed.
I make no claims of infallibility. However, I offer these ideas,
for what they are worth, because they are ideas that I own and find
useful to consider as I work. You may also find them worth owning
- not just borrowing. If you are an artist who has another
important principle, I would love to hear from you. If you find
flaws or question any of these principles, I would be pleased to hear
your response.

This is a book written for kids who can read who want some good ways to practice their drawing skills. Us older folks who still want to learn new stuff can also use this book. It is also great for artists who want some ideas on how to help children learn to draw better. If you are an artist, you could start a
Drawing Camp
or some
after school art classes
using the ideas in this book. Parents can use this book plan a
really cool and creative kids art party
.
Many art teachers will find new ideas and inventions never before published.

It is a low-cost online pdf downloadable book. You can read it on the computer or print it out.